The present invention concerns a furniture hinge comprising a fitment portion and a hinge cup pivotably connected thereto by way of at least one hinge lever. The hinge lever is connected to the hinge cup by way of a hinge axis, and a damping device is actuable by an actuating element for damping a relative movement between the fitment portion and the hinge cup. The actuating element is mounted within the hinge cup rotatably about an axis of rotation extending substantially parallel to the hinge axis of the hinge cup, and the damping device has at least one linear damper which is arranged at the outside of the hinge cup and has at least one linearly displaceable piston.
The invention further concerns an article of furniture having a movable furniture part mounted movably by way of at least one furniture hinge of the kind to be described.
The damping action of a linear damper is essentially based on the flow resistance of a damping fluid in a fluid chamber. Damping devices having a piston with a linear damping stroke usually have a travel-dependent damping function (that is to say, the degree of damping is dependent on the available damping stroke of the piston). Thus, a sufficient damping travel is accordingly to be provided to achieve the desired soft damping of a relative movement between the fitment portions. A particular requirement is therefore that of arranging the damping device in as space-saving a fashion as possible and inconspicuously on the hinge cup, but at the same time also ensuring an adequate damping stroke and thus a satisfactory damping action in respect of the furniture hinge.
A furniture hinge having a hinge cup and a linear damper arranged at the outside of the hinge cup is known for example from WO 2008/104009 A1 to the present applicant. The linear damper in that case can have a linearly displaceable piston, the direction of the linear movement of the piston being oriented substantially parallel to a hinge axis of the hinge.
WO 2007/038815 A1 to the present applicant also shows in FIGS. 32 through 37 a furniture hinge having a linear damper which can be acted upon by way of an actuating element mounted in the hinge cup. In that case the linear damper is concealed under a cover housing which is fitted onto the hinge cup.